There are two commonly available types of Magnesium Chloride, Hydrous and Anhydrous (with and without water molecules).
 Both Hydrous and Anhydrous Magnesium Chloride are known as a "hygroscopic agents" - things which easily take up and retain moisture.
Common Type 1 - Magnesium Chloride Hydrous - (MgCl2.6H2O) is a naturally occurring salt compound.
This natural state of  Magnesium Chloride  Hydrous occurs naturally in sea water, in The Great Salt Lake of Utah, and in the Dead Sea of Israel.
Several years ago, we stopped almost all mining/harvesting of Magnesium Chloride Hydrous in the USA.

Today: the only large natural deposits of Magnesium Chloride Hydrous - which are still allowed to be mined - are located in the PRC (China).

 Which one to use as a dust-suppressant for horse footing or dry lots?
We suggest using the Hydrous  Magnesium Chloride,   (the naturally occuring type Common Type 1 above.
Reasons:
1 - it WILL:  adequately and effectively pull moisture out of the ambient air, securing the moisture into your footing or arena sand.
2 - it WILL NOT: aggressively pull the moisture out of every thing else it touches, such as hooves ...
Proccessed Type 2 - Magnesium Chloride Anhydrous (MgCl2 - without the six water molecules) is processed from the naturally occurring salt compound: the "6H2O" molecules have been removed.
Because: Magnesium Chloride Anhydrous has had the six water molecules processed out (removed)  which are found in this mineral's natural state),
Therefore: this Anhydrous formulation is better able to perform as a hygroscopic agent - something which pulls moisture out of the ambient air, capturing the water in your arena sand.

Which one to use for (non-agricultrual) dust suppression during the summer, or as an ice-melt in the winter?
We suggest using the Anhydrous Magnesium Chloride,   the Proccessed Type 2 above.
Reasons:
1 - It is a more concentrated form of the active hygroscopic ingredient: MgCl2 without the natural dilution.
2 - Please note that, for safety reason, we do NOT provide this more concentrated formula for use in agricultural or equine operations, or in any area or application in which human contact is common or typical.
Dust is a nuisance . . .
. . . as well as a health hazard . . .
. . . and an environmental pollutant.
"And shew I unto thee a more perfect way."

Don't just try to control the dust, prevent dust!
Imagine an arena that stays dust free without constant watering.
Imagine paddocks that don't choke you and your horse every summer as the paddocks dry out.
This is easier that you think.  ECO-TERR Distributing introduces Dust-Off, a product that can solve your dust problems easily, economically, and environmentally soundly.
Dust-Off is a powdered Magnesium Chloride, a dust suppressant that is applied to the dust-affected areas. MgCl2 is unsurpassed as a dust suppressant and soil stabilizer. Additionally, it has been extensively tested to determine that it is safe for the environment, safe for horses, and safe for workers handling the product.
The effectiveness of Magnesium Chloride as a dust suppressant is due to its hygroscopic * character.
 * Meaning it readily accumulates and retains moisture directly from the air and environment.

For use in arenas, paddocks, turnouts and more . . .
Dust-Off is effective in equine riding arenas, paddocks, turnouts, round pens, dry lots, runouts - anywhere prone to dust.
Consider treating driveways and dirt roads - areas notorious for fugitive dust.

Easily and cost-effectively . . .
Keep your property and horse barn and areas dust-free.
Keep your (and your horses') lungs and eyes clean and clear of particulates.
MgCl2 has been extensively tested by the toughest critics:
The U.S. National Forestry Service has found it to be an excellent dust suppressant.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tested MgCl2.
It was then selected for use due to its ability to bind the fine dust particles to the larger particles, by absorbing and retaining moisture from the ambient ecology - from the air itself!

How It Works
Magnesium Chloride continuously absorbs moisture from the air. Therefore, equestrian surfaces treated with Dust-Off remain dust free.
In effect, it acts as a constant waterer for your round pen, riding or training arena.
Drawing water directly from the ambient air - instead of from your water well - it constantly applies the naturally captured moisture to your arena footing and flooring surface.
The Program
Dust-Off is applied by spraying the area to be treated with sufficient amounts to penetrate the layer of soil to the required depth.
For a medium-large arena (7,200 to 8,000 square feet), 3/5ths to one ton of MgCl2 is required per treatment.

In outdoor arenas, rainfall will eventually dilute the MgCl2, therefore it is best to apply the treatment at the end of your rainy season - right before the dry summer months begin.

Frequency of reapplication varies according to prevailing soil conditions, porosity, climate and traffic.

We recommend reapplication twice per year in Washington.  Arid or semi-arid regions may only require one treatment per year, areas with more precipitation may require more frequent applications.
We wish to point out that nobody ever has dust problems that are naturally occurring (with the exception of those occurring in semi-arid, desert, or similar soil types, conditions and climates).

Rather, we unintentionally create the dust problems for our horses all by ourselves, usually using one of two methods (possibly more, we humans are very inventive creatures).

And it is true, dust poses a serious health risk for horses (commonly called 'heaves' which is always debilitating, often lethal).  The EPA has determined that "fugitive dust" is also a serious public air quality problem, but we are only addressing equine health care issues and systems.

Every "dusty arena" or "dusty paddock" problem is not really a dust problem, it is a soil stabilization problem.  Dust is created when the dirt underneath your surface layer works its way to the top, regardless of how many truckloads of gravel, wood chips or hog fuel, sand, field lime, biomass, concrete or cement pavement or chunks of broken concrete, rubber footing products, pulverized recycled tires or paper or plastic or . . . well, anything.

 If there is not a system that forces the footing (the top layer) to stay on top, and the soil underneath (sub-base or foundation layer) to remain undrneath, the dust and mud problems will continue to pop up.

In order to permenantly solve a dust problem, all that is needed is to make the dirt stay put.  It is called "soil stabilization," and that is what HoofGrid does. We permanently make the soil stay where you want it to stay.

Whether it is on an eighty degree slope in the middle of the monsoon season during a hurricane, or whether there are 30 head of cattle per acre in a feedlot operation, or whether there is a constant rotation of stable boarders riding their horses at all hours of the day and night on the same old arena dirt, or whether every weekend there are a thousand cars driving across or parking on your lawn.  
We don't care.  The dirt stays put!

If there is grass growing on top of the soil, our system will prevent damage to the grass sod, regardless of traffic or rainfall.  

Our HoofGrid™ and HoofGrid HD™ systems cannot, however, prevent wood 'hog fuel' or wood chips from decomposing, creating a mixture of muddy-rotten-rocky-manure on your horse turnout, paddock, arena, stalls, or trailering areas.  Nature does this, and will continue doing this.

Our Perfect Footing™ arena footing performance enhancement system will further act to retain moisture in the footing layer.

Our ProEquus™ World Class Performance Arena Systems also enhance moisture retention, without adding any active ingredients into the footing. This is achieved by the structural design, instead of utilizing reactive agents.

One way or another: we can make the use of compacted gravel + clay + sand (or the incorporation of weak or unstable materials such as wax, oils or polymer-coatings into footing; or the use of unsafe/unhealthy wood byproducts), or the use of any other type of temporary mud and/or  dust treatment programs or systems:

No longer necessary,
Anywhere.
Any environment.
Any climate.

Meaning:
No more mud.
No more dust.
Ever!
Contact Us for more information. Please include your City & State, and your telephone number if you wish for us to call you  (for you convenience, please include the best time of day for us to return your call).
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